Forensics tie gun to another killing

The same firearm that took the life of Randy Robinson was used weeks later to take the life of David Clarke, Supreme Court heard yesterday.

Mr Robinson, 22, was fatally shot while walking along Border Lane North on March 31, 2011. Mr Clarke, 26, was killed outside his North Shore home on April 17, 2011.

Jay Dill, 23, and Devon Hewey, 24, both stand accused of the premeditated murder of Mr Robinson and using a firearm to commit the indictable offence. They have denied the charges.

Last week, Supreme Court heard from firearms expert Dennis McGuire, who told the court he carried out a forensic analysis of two bullets recovered from the scene of Mr Robinsons murder.

He said the bullets were a match to those from another murder, with a case number of 11/12770, and shared characteristics with a non-fatal shooting with a case number of 10/38698.

Taking the stand today, Detective Inspector Michael Redfern made reference to the two cases.

He said that case number 11/12770 was of the murder of Mr Clarke, and that Darrion Simons and Jahkeo Leshore have both been charged in connection with the incident.

Case number 10/38698, meanwhile, surrounded the attempted murder of Haile Outerbridge in December, 2010. He described that investigation as unsolved, but active.

Det Insp Redfern also told the court that following a recorded interview with Mr Dill, he sent officers to investigate the defendants claim that he was at the Mid Atlantic Boat Club when the shooting occurred.

CCTV footage was recovered, but was of such poor quality that officers could not recognise anyone.

While at least one person told officers that the two defendants had attended the bar on the evening of the murder, they were unable to say what time they were there, and were unwilling to give a police statement.

Under cross-examination by Larry Mussenden, Det Insp Redfern acknowledged a warrant was filed against Mr Dill after he failed to attend a court date for a speeding offence on January 7, 2011.

He also acknowledged that, despite being arrested in connection to the murder of Mr Robinson on April 1, the warrant was not acted on until May 6 of that year.

And questioned by lawyer Shade Subair, Det Insp Redfern said in the days following the shooting, officers spoke to residents of the Friswells Hill area.

While he said he did hear reports that members of the Sandys-based MOB gang were in the area before the murder, police did not question anyone in the MOB in relation to the killing, saying: I had no grounds to.

He also said that since the outbreak of firearm violence, some firearm incidents have gone unreported.

The courts also heard from Police Intelligence Analyst Lauren Bell, who said she analysed communications between four phone numbers on March 31 and April 1.

She detailed a series of phone calls between Mr Dill, Mr Hewey and Christopher Parris, who was described by Detective Sargeant Alex Rawlins earlier in the trial as a leader of the 42 gang on the evening of the murder.

Ms Bell said that just before 5pm, Mr Dills phone called Mr Parriss phone, and a short time later Mr Dills phone was called by Mr Heweys home number.

More calls took place at around 8.30pm when Mr Robinson was murdered.

At 8.28pm, Mr Hewey phone attempted to call Mr Parris phone. Mr Parriss then called Mr Dills phone twice, once at 8.32pm and once at 8.43pm.

At 9.07pm, Mr Dills phone received a text message from another number asking him what he was doing He responded that he was at my n****s house.

The other caller texted back asking if he knew about the shooting, and Mr Dill replied that he did.

He later texted that he wouldnt be going home that night because police would be everywhere and he wasnt trying to be taken.